NSW once again featured as Australia's creative centre with local advertising agencies and production houses grabbing 30 of the 43 awards presented to Australian companies at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

The 2009 festival - from June 20 to 26 - hosted 6,000 leading decision makers in the global advertising industry and their multinational clients including Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, Kraft, Volkswagen, Google and Nike.

NSW's success at the Cannes awards helped showcase the State's strengths as one of the worlds best destinations for locations, production facilities and creative talent.

Sydney-based businesses won five advertising awards, including three Gold Lions.

Earth Hour, for the Sydney office of the World Wildlife Fund, was the most successful NSW campaign with four awards for their innovative campaign.

Other notable NSW produced winners included the Pedestrian Council, Boags Beer, Carlton Draught and Virgin Mobile.

The advertising industry worldwide is worth over $800 billion, with the success of NSW at this years Cannes Lions expected to help provide the State with a bigger slice of the industry.

The Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD) promoted the State's strengths at the festival and through a NSW event for 80 influential leaders of the international advertising industry.

According to research company IBISWorld, advertising services in Australia generated revenues of $1.87 billion in 2008-09 with NSW home to 49 per cent of the industry compared with Victoria's 28 per cent.